Valve.



E. E. LOCHRIDGE.

VAL-VE.

'APPLlcATloN FILED FEB. i4. 191s.

Patented June 25, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. pLocHRmGE.

VALVE.

APPUCATION FILED FEB, L4. 1916.

Patented June 25, 1918.

ZSIjIEETS-SHEET l2.

ELBERT E. LOCHRIDGE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .rune a5, iai.

Application filed February 14, 1916. Serial No. 78,097.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ELBERT E. LocHRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield, county of Hampden, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement. in Valves, of which the following description. in connection with the accompanying drawings. is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to valve mechanisms and more particularly to valve mechanisms for controlling the admission of flushing water to the bowls of water-closets.

The invention is an improvement upon the valve mechanism shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 45,401, led August 13, 1915.

The character of the invention may be best understood lby reference to the following description of an embodiment thereof illustrating the invention shown in the `accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Figurel is a vertical section through the valve mechanism shown herein as embodying the invention; j

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view of part of said mechanism showing the inlet and outlet tubes therefor in different positions;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one type of bowl having the valve mechanism connected thereto to deliver water through the lower end of its casing; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another type of bowl having the valve mechanism connected thereto to deliver water through the side of its casing.

Referring to the drawings,V the valve mechanism shown therein as illustrating the invention comprises a casing 1 having a reduced upper .end portion 3 and a shoulder 5 at the base of said portion. A cylindrical wall 7 in the casing divides the same into a central chamber 9 and an annular chamber 11. The upper end of the wall 37 has a head 13 tapped therein having feet 15 projecting outward beyond said wall for engagement with the sides of said casing to hold said wall properly spaced therefrom.y Said head has feet 17 projecting upward therefrom for engagement with the casing shoulder 5 referred to to limit inward movement of said wall in the casing. The feet 15 and 17 `are narrow and distributed to leave substantial water passages between them to permit the water to ow from thecentral chamber to the outer chamber as more fully hereinafter described. The lower end of the casing is provided with a head 19 threaded thereon and adapted to engage a spacing ring 21 engaging the lower reduced end of said wall. Obviously when the head is tightened in place it will operate through said ring to press said wall up into said casing with its feet 17 in tight engagement with the shoulder 5.

The head 19 has a neck 23` projecting downward therefrom externally threaded to receive a pipe 25. The lower end of the wall 7 has a neck 27 projecting outward therefrom and preferably registers with and has substantially `the same internal diameter as` the neck 23. v 1

A neck 29 projects outward laterally `from the casing and is threaded to receive a pipe 31. A neck 33 projects inward from the wall 7 and preferably 'registers with and has substantially the same internal diameter as the neck 29. j j

An important feature of the invention relates to interchangeable means for admitting water to the casing from the bottom therej j of and discharging water from the casing through the side thereof; or for admitting water to the casing from the side thereof and discharging water from the casing j, through the bottom thereof. To accomplish this an ,3

inlet tube 35 is provided adapted to fit in and be threaded to either of the wall `necks 27 and 33, and has a smooth portion-for tight fit with either of the casing necks 23 and A29. This inlet tube has both ofits ends j open and when introduced to either ofits` positions presents a closed wall `extending transversely across the` outer chamber 11 and cutting off the latter from communication with said tube. As a result when wateru is introducedthrough saidtubeit will:i be` conducted directly into the central chamber and not to the outer chamber.

Anoutlet tube 37 is provided having a portion for threaded engagement with either j 37 is in either of positions-it will,v ther'cj j fore, permit water to flow from the outer, annular chambertherethrough, but Vwillprevent water from liowing from the central chamber' outward therethrough. To limit inward adjustment of the tubes eachinaybe provided with a circumferen- 1tial' 'endslioulder 48 adapted to engage the ends of the knecks 23 and 29. These shoulders are, however, sutliciently small to readily itfinto-the ypipes' and'31, 'and thus the llatter conceal the ltubes and maire-tight jointswith said 'necks independently of said tubes. Eachtubemay have a seriesof internal -nfotchesd vadaptedto receive a special wrench to facilitate the screwing and unscr'ewing thereof.

Some 'water-'closet bowls are constructed vand 'arranged to receive liushing `water through the top thereof as, `for example, shownffinfFig.B, whereas others are designed `lto yreceive their flushing water through 'an Iendgth'ereo as, foreXample, shown in Fig. The interchangeable tube construction described Ipfern'iits a standard valve to be 25 made which may be readily applied to either type of bowl. It the valve i'stofbe 'applied tofthe formgot vbowl shown in F ig. v3`,'tlie f inlet tube 35-is introduced 'into the side of l-the"c`a`s'i1'ig, as shown in Fig. 1,7and the outletftube 37 is introduced into the bottom 'of the casing, as shown in 1. With the tubes thus positioned the water will be `conducted from the city main `to the pipe 31 i'andpa'ss through the inlet tube 35 into the sacentral chamber. It will Ypass thence through the head ofthe wall 7 as controlled n *by afvalve to'be described, into a chamber 'in the easing abov'esaid head, andpass thence? downward through 'the outer, annu- 40 `-liar'chamber and' down through the outlet tube ntolthe pipe 25 which is connected H-mftheibowl.

' 'Ifthe valve'is to lbe applied to thetype of bowl"shown 'in Fig. 4, the inlet and outlet "tubes arev changed `from 'their positions f'shown in Fig. 1 totheir positions 'shown in '2." Then the inlet tube 35 will be applied Jto the lower end of the lcasing and the outlet-tube 37 will be 'applied to the side of tothefcasing. lvWhen thus positioned the water "f will be conducted from the city main into -tlecpipe l25 .and through the 'tube 35 up into the central chamber and will pass thence as ,"controlled'by the valve at the head of said fcha1'nber'downward through the annular chamber" and 'laterally through' the outlet ftube at 'the side'ofythe casing through the Pipe 31 into the bowl. y

i' flhusp'b'y.arrextremely simple adjustment thmdiaiiim @aube adapted for either "typedef howl, thereby'ereatly extending the fu'tild itsjusefulness and the desirability eieeheliein fer @entllling the vrfro'mth'e central chamber't'o the annular chainber, may be similar to that shown in my said co-pending application. This mechanism comprisesl a main valve 1T connected by a sleeve li9 with a piston 51 movable in the cylinder formed by theupper reduced end 3 of the casing. rlhis piston is normally cut ofi' from communication with the central chamber by a tubular controlling valve 53, the upper end. of which is adapted to engage a packing seat carried by a plug 57 tapped in the upper end ot said casing. The sleeve has internal ribs 59 tapped to rcceivc the reduced end ot a stem (31 projecting upward through a stutling box in `said plug. A handle knob (33 is threaded to the upper end of said stein. The tubular valve is normally seated by a coil spring G5 encircling said stem and conlined between thc upper end oi said plug and the lower end ot said knob.

Then the knob G3 is depressed water from the central chamber passes upward through the tubular valve into the cylinder above piston '51. Since the latter has a greater area subject to pressure than the valve, the resulting differential pressure causes the piston to move downward and open the valve. Promptly on release of the knob 63 the tubular valve is snapped to its seat bythe spring G5, thereby cutting ofi' escape for vthe water trom the cylinder above the piston. To permit this water to Agradually escape and thereby retard the return of the main valve 47 to its seat, a by-pass duct 67 is provided in the plug having one end communicating with the cylinder above the piston and its opposite end communicating with :in annularpassage (if) between the tubular valve and a sleeve 71 thereon. The water gradually escapes from the cylinder above the piston through the duct 67, passage G9 andl ports 73 in said sleeves 71 and 49, into thechainber above the head 13 of the wall 7. Thus 'the valve is permitted to return gradually and quietly to its seat.

,A coil spring 75 encircling the. sleeve i9 is 'confined between the head 13 and the piston '51, and will serve to return the main valve to its seat if for any reason the supply oi` water in the city main should tail. Under normal conditions, however, the pressure of the water will be sufficient to return the, valve 47 to itsseat.

(Having described one illustrative embodi ment of the, invention .without limiting the same thereto, what I claim as new and de sire to' secure by Letters Patent is:

1. 'The combination with a casing of a wall therein dividing the same into'chanibers, and inlet and outlet tubes extending across one of said chambers, one of said tubes having a closed end and anv apertured side wall, and the other of said tubes ha ving.r

v open ends anda closedside walhsaid tubes 'bei'n'g interchangeable according to the desired direction of delivery of fluid from said casing.

2. The combination with a casing of a Wall therein dividing the same into inner and outer chambers, and inlet and outlet tubes crossing said outer chamber and tapped to said Wall, one of said tubes having communication with said inner chamber and no communication With said outer chamber, and the other of said tubes having communication With said outer chamber and no communication With said inner chamber, said tubes being interchangeable according to the desired direction of delivery of fluid from said casing.

3. The combination with a casing of a Wall therein dividing the same into inner and outer chambers, necks projecting from said Wall and casing at different points, and interchangeable inlet and outlet tubes adapted to fit in said necks, oneof said tubes being formed for communication with said outer chamber but not With said inner chamber, and the other of said tubes being formed for communication with said inner chamber but not with said outer chamber.

ll. rl`he combination With a casing of a Wall therein dividing` the same into chambers, interchangeable fluid-directing tubes adapted to extend transversely across one of said chambers, one of said tubes having communication with only one of said chambers, and the other of said tubes having communication With the other chamber.

5. The combination With a casing of a Wall therein dividing the same into inner and outer chambers, registering ports in said Wall and casing at one end of the latter, registering ports in said Wall and casing at the side of the latter, and interchangeable inlet and outlet tubes adapted to it said ports to control the direction of fluid ow to and from said casing.

6. riFhe combination With a casing of a cylindrical Wall therein dividing the same into central and annular chambers, said `Wall and casing having registering ports therein, and interchangeable inlet and outlet tubes fitting said ports, one of said tubes having an open end, a closed end, and apertured for communication With said annular chamber, anl the other of said tubes having open en s, munication thereof with said annular chamber.

7. The combination with a casing of a Wall dividing the same into chambers, said casing and Wall having registering ports therein, and inlet and outlet tubes adapted to interchangeably tit said ports to control the direction of flow of fluid to and from said casing.

8. The combination With a casing of a Wall therein dividing the same into chambers, said casing and Wall having ports therein and inlet and outlet tubes entered into said ports for controlling the direction of uid flow to and from saidcasing.

9. The combination with a casing l of a Wall 7 therein dividing the same into chambers 9 and 11, and interchangeable tubes 35 and 37, one to conduct uid to one of said chambersin either of its positions, and the other to conduct liuid from the other chamber in either of its positions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to thisspeciiication, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

,ELBERT E. LOCHRIDGE.

Witnesses:

Tnnononn M. BEACH, RAYMOND E. SNOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, JD. C.

and a closed Wall for preventing co1n` 

